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comparison of differing door opening procedures/abilities for different train types

aar0

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Joined
13 Sep 2016
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614
I caught a 197 on Sunday and on alighting held the door open button after we had stopped but before the guard had released the doors. On 800s, 150s and 153s this means the door springs open as soon as they’re released. I had thought a 197 was the same, however the door beeped and didn’t open, and the guard told me not to do it again as it jammed the mechanism. Has this changed or have I just misremembered?
 
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Torfaen

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8 Dec 2025
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Pontypool
"Jammed the mechanism" doesn't sound right.
Definitely the door doesn't open if you push the button before it lights up green. It lights red instead, and won't open till you release and wait for it to go green.
If you push and hold for several seconds when the door is open, it stays open - I wonder whether push and hold while the door is released has some special function too?
 

Peter Mugridge

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8 Apr 2010
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17,813
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Epsom
"Jammed the mechanism" doesn't sound right.
Definitely the door doesn't open if you push the button before it lights up green. It lights red instead, and won't open till you release and wait for it to go green.
If you push and hold for several seconds when the door is open, it stays open - I wonder whether push and hold while the door is released has some special function too?
I'm pretty sure there was something posted on the forum a few months ago saying that on some of the newer trains holding the door button down for a certain length of time when the doors aren't cut in will isolate that door. I can't remember which thread, or which type of train was being discussed.

Is that the case with the 197s?
 

Gordonman

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14 Jan 2020
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620
Location
Baildon
I caught a 197 on Sunday and on alighting held the door open button after we had stopped but before the guard had released the doors. On 800s, 150s and 153s this means the door springs open as soon as they’re released. I had thought a 197 was the same, however the door beeped and didn’t open, and the guard told me not to do it again as it jammed the mechanism. Has this changed or have I just misremembered?
Maybe just have a bit of patience next time.What is the logic in pressing the door release button prior to the red light being extinguished when the guard releases the doors?
 

SWML9102

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28 Oct 2019
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117
Location
bridgend
Maybe just have a bit of patience next time.What is the logic in pressing the door release button prior to the red light being extinguished when the guard releases the doors?
So you don't have to spend 30-40 secs staring at it while the guard does platform checks.
 

Torfaen

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8 Dec 2025
Messages
58
Location
Pontypool
Maybe just have a bit of patience next time.What is the logic in pressing the door release button prior to the red light being extinguished when the guard releases the doors?
At stations where there isn't a choice of platforms, the "door out of use" light does not come on. The door open button only lights up red if you press it too soon.
It's not about having patience - it's about knowing / remembering what type of train it is, and therefore whether holding the button down and waiting for release works or not. On trains where it works, I prefer to keep the button pressed rather than watch it until it lights up.
 

Tester

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5 Jul 2020
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1,669
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Watford
At stations where there isn't a choice of platforms, the "door out of use" light does not come on. The door open button only lights up red if you press it too soon.
It's not about having patience - it's about knowing / remembering what type of train it is, and therefore whether holding the button down and waiting for release works or not. On trains where it works, I prefer to keep the button pressed rather than watch it until it lights up.
You would love it in Switzerland!

Generally a press on a door button whenever you like will light the button green, and then open the right doors at the right time without further ado.

It is after all just a call.
 

BurtonM

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3 Feb 2014
Messages
979
Location
Manchester
Manchester Metrolink is even better - you can 'prime' the doors by pressing the button at any time, the button flashes green, and then the door opens next time the driver releases them.
 

OrangeJuice

Member
Joined
4 Jun 2018
Messages
208
You would love it in Switzerland!

Generally a press on a door button whenever you like will light the button green, and then open the right doors at the right time without further ado.

It is after all just a call.
This. Switzerland is great, no testing reaction times to the light up green to open doors when released.

Press any time and they light up green so will open when released instead. Also can be used as requesting to stop for request stops.

A shame the flirts didn't have this in Anglia as people stared at me when I tried to prime the doors beforehand, but wasn't possible
 

Peter Sarf

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12 Oct 2010
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9,601
Location
Croydon
Maybe just have a bit of patience next time.What is the logic in pressing the door release button prior to the red light being extinguished when the guard releases the doors?
Trouble is most people (passengers) will press the button shortly after the train comes to a stand. They have little knowledge of the workings of door control and especially any peculiarities of different train types.

It seems counter productive to disable a door if someone presses the open button prematurely. Furthermore I feel disabling the door in such circumstances serves no useful purpose as far as I can see anyway. That is if such a thing really does happen ?.

In some trains (trams ?) pressing the door open button early is a feature that means the door opens as soon as the train (tram) operator releases the doors. I have read of this feature in the past on here. A useful feature if you have to gather bags, kids, prams etc etc and have no free hand to press the button with.
 

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